Antibiotic may treat brain inflammation

Dr Logan Wink is an associate professor in psychiatry at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Wink, who leads the study, said minocycline “is known to have direct neuroprotective effects, as well as anti-inflammatory properties”.

Health firm Quadrant Biosciences is helping to fund the work. It will collect saliva from people involved in the study to assist with its research on the genetics of autism.

Improved symptoms

Research on mice showed minocycline improved autism symptoms in areas such as social interaction, anxiety and curiosity.

Further trials on people affected by Fragile X Syndrome-associated autism also showed improvements.

Donna Murray is the head of the Autism Treatment Network. She said the evidence of symptom improvement with minocycline “warranted further investigation”.

Saliva test for autism

Quadrant Biosciences has developed a saliva test for diagnosing autism that is set to be available later this year.

Richard Uhlig is Quadrant’s chief executive. He said it “seemed a natural fit to collect saliva swabs of the patients to further understand” the genetics of autism.

Beginning later this year, the clinical trial will involve 24 children and adults with autism aged 12 to 22.

The study will be double blind and placebo-controlled.

This means some of those taking part will get an inactive treatment to compare to the minocycline. To avoid bias, neither researchers nor patients will know who is receiving the antibiotic or the placebo.